Senshi No Seishin
by Forbidden-Hanyou
Summary: -Title Meaning: A Warrior's Spirit- "What is your name?," he asked sternly and forcefully. Kaoru could tell that this man was no joke. Her eyes fluttered as she struggled to reply. "Kami...ya...K-Kao...ru...," she gasped out, before she fell into the blissful oblivion of unconsciousness. -Kaoru-Centric- (Kaoru & Kenshin)
1. Prologue: Vengeance Exacted

**FH:** So...yeah. Writing another fanfiction. "But why won't you update the other ones? Espcecially _A_ _Feudal Inu Tail_?" Well guys, I have no muse for them at the moment. -blank face- I have been through some very trying times in the past 5 years guys...I have been beaten to within an inch of my life, I have been choked out, I have had my life threatened more times than I can count, I have had knives thrown at me, I have all all of my worldly possessions destroyed, I have watched as my mother and brother were abused, I have been told that I am worthless, I have been tortured, I have been sexually abused, and I have been on the streets more times than I can count; all while I was still in highschool for the most part. I will not try and make you understand the pain I have been through, but I am trying very hard to make my life better...Sometimes it seems all for naught. The man who caused this pain lies in wait even now; he is on the same island I live on now. We (my mother and I) are trying to desperately save money to go home; all while living in a tent. I have no muse for stories right now that were in essence, destroyed by this very man. I promise I will continue them...But not now. Now...I am trying to get past what I lived through, and there are some days I just can't help it. Please bear with me here. This is what I want to focus on for now. Thank you all; I have so many wonderful readers and reviewers, and I can't thank you all enough.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin; if I did, this show/manga would have been done MUCH more different to what it is now, and I would not have sold my rights to idiots so they can make such fake and crappy OVAs (not counting Trust  & Betrayal).

 **Song:** Zack Hemsey-The Way /watch?v=NeqMbWWwQ5o (Recommended To Listen To While Reading) Just go to youtube and paste that on the end of the URL. Please read lyrics in video decription. And repeat as you read.

 **WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS GORE, HARSH LANGUAGE, AND GRAPHIC SCENES! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! THAT IS WHY THIS STORY IS RATED M!**

…...Prologue: Vengeance Exacted...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **June 21** **st** **, 186** **8** **; 1** **5** **Years Into The Bakumatsu** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Crickets filled the late summer night air as the full moon shone brightly down on the sleepy city of Edo. No one noticed a dark figure slink along the walls of nearby homes and buildings. Eventually, the figure came to a stop in front of a home that was larger than the rest, and surrounded by a wall higher than most. The man peered at the name on the front of the gate; it read "Kamiya Kasshin-Ryu: Home Of The Kamiyas". The man dressed in a black gi and black hakama smirked.

"This is the place," he whispered gleefully, "Now my revenge is at hand!"

The man quickly glanced down both sides of the street, and not seeing anyone, vaulted over the gate and into the yard of the dojo. It looked like any other family dojo and home; nothing at all to make it stand out in particular. But this man was here for a reason. His vengeance will be exacted on the man who had slain his family and had failed in slaying him. Now, he would make the man he hated to the depths of his soul suffer. As the man in black slowly walked through the yard and made his way to the engawa, he thought back to how he came to be here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _Flashback: 5 Months Prior_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 _They were in their home; doing their usual business around the home. His wife and mother were doing laundry in the yard, conversing over idle things that women usually spoke of. His father and uncle were in the meeting room; doing a meeting over battle plans for the Shinsengumi. They were to make their reports to the leader of their division tomorrow; their devision being the 1st Division, and their leader being his grandfather Okita Souji. His name was Okita Masaru. He was well versed in kenjutsu, and would be following his father, uncle, and grandfather into this war. He was now 16, and so, after he achieved his senpuku last week, his granfather deemed him ready to join him in battle. Masaru sat outside the meeting room on the engawa, and enjoyed the slowly warming spring air._

 _Suddenly, a loud bang came from the front gate of their home, and as the dust cleared, a man stood in the midst of the dust. He wore a grey gi and white hakama, and his black hair was cut very short. The man had dark blue eyes, which were a tad unusual, and he was clean shaven. The man wore a standard katana at his waist, and he did not look disturbed to be there. Masaru's wife and mother screamed and ran into a room nearby, and peeked out as his father and uncle ran onto the engawa behind Masaru. Masaru stood as his uncle and father drew their katanas and stepped off of the engawa. Masaru was right behind them, drawing his own katana. The man began to slowly walk forward, and that is when his father shouted at the man._

" _Who are you to invade my family's home? Why are you here?" he shouted at the unknown man. The man stopped walking and his piercing gaze looked Masaru's father dead in the eyes._

" _I am the man sent to kill you and your despicable family. My name is Kamiya Koshijiro. Repent for your sins against humanity with your deaths by my blade," was all he said, before he disappeared into thin air. Masaru's mouth opened in shock, and suddenly he heard a scream of pain come from his father and watched, as if in slow motion, his father be slashed from shoulder to hip in a wide arc that sprayed blood as if it was rain. Before Masaru even had time to blink, his uncle's head flew from his shoulders in a spray of blood as his head was sent rolling across the yard. Masaru was shocked and stunned. Suddenly, the man was there again, standing over the bodies of his father and uncle, and the man turned to him._

" _I am saddened that you were born to such a sinful family, but my orders are very clear; you and your whole family must die. I pray that your souls finds solace in your deaths," Koshijiro stated solemnly. The next thing Masaru knew, he felt a sharp stabbing pain as his chest was split open. He fell, in slow motion it seemed, and he landed on his side, with his eyes facing the room his mother and wife were hiding in. He watched, as his vision started to fade to black, as the man known as Kamiya Koshijiro turned away from him and stepped into the room his wife and mother were hiding. He heard their sobs, their pleas for mercy, and then he heard their screams and their cries ceased instantly with the sound of tearing flesh. He watched as Kamiya walked back out of the room, and then slashed his katana to the side at an angle, removing the blood there in one fell swipe in a chiburui movement. Not a drop of blood remained. As the man re-sheathed his katana, tears fell from Masaru's eyes as his vision faded to black. His life as he knew it ended that day._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _End Flashback_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That day was the day an innocent boy died, and in his place he became a hate-filled man. Masaru had come to this place to exact vengeance on the man who had killed his family, and had almost killed him. He had been lucky; the wound was only a centimeter shallower than the cuts made to his family and wife. That is what had saved him. He remembered waking up in the nearby clinic, and having it all crash back to him. He had cried and sobbed so much that day that the local doctor had forced him to drink a sedative. When he woke again, he swore his revenge on the man who had murdered his family in cold blood. Once he was healed enough, he began training tirelessly. His plan was absolute. He would kill Kamiya Koshijiro's family, and then he would tell the man how his family had suffered before death, and then in the end, he would kill Kamiya Koshijiro. His revenge would be completed.

Masaru reached the engawa and stepped up on it; not taking off his zori. Why should he respect the home of the murderer of his family? He walked along the engawa silently, and as he reached the first room, he found what he had been searching for. Peering into a crack in the door, Masaru watched as a beautiful woman sat upon a futon, with a small child in her lap. The child appeared to be perhaps 6-7 years old, and was a little girl. The little girl had dark black hair with blue highlights, and dark blue eyes.

'Like his...,' Masaru sneered in his mind. He would end her life before she would live to pass on those disgusting traits. The woman though, had light blue eyes and pale blonde hair.

'A foreigner then,' Masaru thought in glee. Both females were wearing simple sleeping yukatas and it seemed the mother was reading a story to her child. The child read along inquisitively as the mother's soft voice echoed through the room. Masaru smirked. What better time to appear than as a demon from a story? Resolved, and bearing an evil glint in his eyes, Masaru snapped open the shoji door to the room in which both females resided. Both mother and child jumped in surprise, and when the mother saw an unknown young man in the doorway, she quickly stood and pushed the child behind her.

"Who are you? What do you want? Why are you in my home?," the woman demanded, as she grabbed a bokken from the floor nearby. The child peeked around her mother's kimono to stare at Masaru; only a hint of fear present. Masaru smirked. This would be much more enjoyable. He had hoped that they would fight him until the end. They would only prolong their suffering for him to recount for their husband and father when he went to kill him. He stepped into the room, almost lazily, before he answered.

"That is what my father asked when your husband killed him and my family. He also tried to kill me and failed. I have come to exact veangeance on the family of the man who killed mine," Masaru stated calmly, as he once again started walking towards the two females. The mother stepped back several steps before she whipped around to her daughter and pushed her firmly away from her.

"Kaoru, you must run! Mommy will try and stop this man; but you must run if you want to live!," the mother whispered urgently to her daughter. The little girl gasped and stared at her mother in shock and fear.

"But Mommy! Where do I go? I don't want to leave you with this bad man!," young Kaoru screamed frantically at her mother. Her mother glared down at the child before pushing her again, causing the child to almost stumble.

"Kaoru! I said GO! Mommy will handle this! Please, just RUN!," her mother screamed at Kaoru. Tears began to blur the child's vision as she sniffed. She then hugged her mother as tight as possible and whispered into her mother's ear.

"I love you Mommy," and then the child turned away and ran out the back door of the room at a dead run. The mother turned back to the young man in her doorway, and she saw the smirk on the man's face. She readied her bokken and stood firm in the path to her daughter.

'Kami-sama, please keep Kaoru safe,' she thought desperately. She gritted her teeth and scowled at the smirking man.

"What is so funny, you asshole?," the woman asked venomously, standing in a defensive stance with her bokken raised in front of her. The man smiled in a wide grin full of malice.

"Why, her running just made this game a hell of a lot more fun than it was before! Now it is a game of Hide-And-Seek instead of just Instant-Kill. I will enjoy making her suffer before she dies. But first, there's you to take care of...," Masaru stated, as he slowly drew his katana from its sheath. The sound of steel being drawn made the mother shiver in fear. But no matter how scared she was, she had to fight for her daughter; she had to live!

"I will not die easily, young man," the woman stated, before charging him,"Hiyah!" She dashed forward and tried to swipe her bokken across his head, when he suddenly vanished. The woman stared in confusion before she heard the sound of tearing flesh and felt a stabbing pain lance through her back. She fell forward, and felt blood begin to pool beneath her. She tried to use her bokken to rise, but felt her hair be grabbed roughly by a hand and twisted upwards, dragging her up with the hand. A strangled cry left her bloody lips as her hands automatically went to grip the hand fisted in her hair, simultaniously dropping her bokken as her eyes screwed shut in pain. A wild manic laugh sounded behind her as she tried deperately to remove the hand fisted in her hair. Suddenly, the hand holding her hair threw her against the wall, and she smacked against it with a sickening crack. She fell to the floor in a heap on her back and she began to see black at the edges of her vision.

And then, the man suddenly straddled her waist and held his katana to her neck.

"It is time to say goodbye to your life. I will take your daughter next, and then your evil murdering husband. I will not stop until your whole family is destroyed. Goodbye," Masaru stated coldly before he slit her throat. He watched with glee as the woman below him began to choke on her own blood and her body spasmed a few times before going completely still. Masaru smirked and slowly stood above her, before performing chiburui to remove most of the blood from his blade. He then pulled out a piece of cloth and wiped the rest of the blade clean. He was not able to remove all the blood with chiburui alone, like Kamiya Koshijiro; however, he was now a much more skilled swordsman. He smirked and then looked out the door the child disappeared through. It was time to play Hide-And-Seek.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~With Kaoru~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaoru ran blindly into the woods near her home, tears pouring down her cheeks and obstructing her vision. Somehow, she just knew that that was the last time she would ever see her mother alive. Sobs tore through her throat as she continued to run, stumbling every now and again over rocks, roots, and branches. Suddenly, Kaoru tripped and went sprawling into the dirt and rocks. A few scrapes appeared on her hands from the fall, and she began to shakily push herself up to her hands and knees. She had to keep going! For mother! For father! And as she finally stood up, she heard a branch break under someone's foot behind her. Whiping around, Kaoru came face to face with the man who had appeared in their home. He grinned sadisitcally as he stepped into the clearing and became bathed in moonlight. He was a handsome young man, around 15 or 16, and he had jet black hair that was cut short and spiked out to the sides. He wore a black gi and black hakama, and he wore a katana in his sash on his left hip. His eyes were a dark golden color; almost cat-like in their nature. He slowly began to walk to her. Kaoru glared through her tears and stood her ground. This man being here meant only one thing; he had defeated her mother in combat. Her mother was pretty good at kenjutsu, but Kaoru, even at her young age, was much better at it than her mother. Her father even called her a prodigy; but she never let it get to her head. She just wanted to live up to her father's teachings and become just as strong as him. The man laughed mockingly.

"You really think you can stand up to me? I think not little girl!," the man yelled in anger, before he drew his katana in one swift move, and Kaoru narrowly dodged to the right. He missed any vital areas, but he created a long, horizontal cut starting from an inch to the left of her nose, and it went straight back over her cheek and stopped about an inch from her ear. Kaoru winced and held her hand up to her now bleeding cheek, and it came away slick and red. But she had no time to dwell on it, as the man came for her again, even more angry that she had dodged the first blow. Kaoru tried to dodge to the left this time, but the man anticipated this and struck her in her right side, causing a rather deep wound to the area just above her right hip. Kaoru gasped at the pain and fell to her left side as both of her hands covered her wound in a vain attempt to stem the bleeding. The man grinned evilly before he made his way over to the slowly dying child in front of him. He stood above her with his katana resting lazily over his right shoulder as he brought his foot down on Kaoru's chest, effectively halting her breathing.

"I will enjoy telling your father as he dies that his spawn of a daughter, which carried his looks, died in the most painful way possible. Now meet your death peacefully!," he yelled, and with that, Masaru shoved his foot into her chest with even more power, causing Kaoru to gasp in pain before he quickly lifted his foot and kicked the child all the way across the clearing. She rolled several times before coming to a stop, her body limp. Kaoru ceased her breathing and held her breath. Perhaps if she played dead, this man would leave her alone, and she would live. She was rewarded as the man came over to her limp form before toeing her limp body, and seeing no breath from her, concluded that she was dead. She heard the swish of his katana as he performed chiburui and re-sheatehd his katana. Kaoru held her breathe until she could no longer hear his footsteps in the deep forest. When Kaoru finally took a breath, her breaths became labored and fast as she tried to regain lost oxygen. Her chest hurt immensely, so her sternum was most likely broken. The wound on her right side hurt the most though, and black started to fill her vision. She tried to rise to her feet before dropping down again when her legs would not hold her up. She curled up on her side as more tears leaked from her tightly closed eyes. Suddenly, there was a shadow over her, blocking out the moon's glow.

She opened her eyes weakly, thinking that it was that man, back to finish the job. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see instead a very large and tall man. He had to be one of the most handsomest men she had ever seen. He had long black hair that was tied into a ponytail gathered at the nape of his neck, and his bangs had an unruly, wild look to them. Two long strands of hair fell loose from the pony tail in front of his ears. His eyes were a dark grey, almost black. His clothes were the strangest clothing that Kaoru had ever seen. He wore a pair of thin blue hakama pants, that were tucked into a pair of European styled boots, and a matching blue short sleeved gi. Over that was the strangest and largest red and white cloak Kaoru had ever seen. The cloak had a pointed high collar on both sides and the cloak itself reached to his ankles. He had a shikomizue katana attached to his left hip, and he stared down at her intently. As the black started to fully envelope her, Kaoru heard him ask her a question.

"What is your name?," he asked sternly and forcefully. Kaoru could tell that this man was no joke. Her eyes fluttered as she struggled to reply.

"Kami...ya...K-Kao...ru...," she gasped out, before she fell into the blissful oblivion of unconsciousness.

The man sighed in exasperation and leaned down and scooped up the young 6 year old girl into his arms before walking off.

"And I only wanted to get some more sake...What a bother...," he stated, as he walked off into the night, the young injured girl unconscious in his arms.

…...End Of Prologue: Vengeance Exacted...

Glossary:

-Engawa: Refers to the typically wooden strip of flooring immediately before windows and storm shutters inside traditional Japanese rooms.

-Gi: Japanese Shirt garment usually worn with hakama pants

-Hakama: Loose trousers with many pleats in the front, forming part of Japanese formal dress.

-Yukata: A light cotton kimono.

-Kimono: A long, loose robe with wide sleeves and tied with a sash, originally worn as a formal garment in Japan and now also used elsewhere as a robe.

\- Shikomizue Katana: It is the mounting of a sword blade in a walking cane. The last decade they have been popularized by movies (Zatoichi) and many anime series but they are very much part of Japanese sword history; in contradiction to the straight ninjato.

FH: Well, there you have it, the very first chapter in Senshi No Seishin. Directly translated, the title means "A Warrior's Spirit" in Japanese. I found it very fitting, considering I will be focusing on Kaoru for a majority of this fanfiction. I will be using what I find in canon, but things will be changed from the point she meets Kenshin and on. I want to bring out her full potiental, and I will enjoy fleshing her out more that her original creator ever did. Thanks for reading and I would enjoy any feedback or reviews! Ja ne!


	2. Chapter 1: Strength Within

**FH:** Thanks for all the views, alerts, and reviews! I am really enjoying writing this fanfiction! I hope you guys are as excited as I am to delve into Kaoru's past! :D

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin; if I did, this show/manga would have been done MUCH more different to what it is now, and I would not have sold my rights to idiots so they can make such fake and crappy OVAs (not counting Trust  & Betrayal).

 **Song:** "Hymn For The Missing" - RED /watch?v=iWEsrQx6A2U (For Koshijiro Kamiya in the beginning)  & "These Times" - SafteySuit /watch?v=la-btESfs9c (For Kaoru Towards the middle/end of the chapter) (Recommended To Listen To While Reading) Just go to youtube and paste that on the end of the URL. Please read lyrics in video decription. And repeat as you read.

 **WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS GORE, HARSH LANGUAGE, AND GRAPHIC SCENES! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! THAT IS WHY THIS STORY IS RATED M!**

…...Chapter 1: Strength Within ...

 _-Last Time-_

" _What is your name?," he asked sternly and forcefully. Kaoru could tell that this man was no joke. Her eyes fluttered as she struggled to reply._

" _Kami...ya...K-Kao...ru...," she gasped out, before she fell into the blissful oblivion of unconsciousness._

 _The man sighed in exasperation and leaned down and scooped up the young 6 year old girl into his arms before walking off._

" _And I only wanted to get some more sake...What a bother...," he stated, as he walked off into the night, the young injured girl unconscious in his arms._

 _-This Time-_

 **~June 23rd 1868~**

Kamiya Koshijiro's hand shook as he read the missive that had been delivered to him this morning. He had read and re-read it numerous times in shock and disbelief. Tears smeared the letters on the page and caused the ink to run. His wife had been killed, and his daughter was missing. Curling down over the letter, Koshijiro began to cry anew. His family was gone. All he was fighting for was gone. But, he still felt a small amount of hope come to him. His daughter's body was not found anywhere, so there was a chance that she was still alive. Koshijiro couldn't leave his post yet, but he knew the war was almost over; Perhaps before autumn everything would be said and done. Then he could go and search for his missing daughter. Kami-sama knows he needed at least his little girl to still be alive.

~~~~~~~~~~~~With Kaoru~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaoru woke to the sound of birds chirping in the distance and the sun on her face. She went to try and curl onto her side and cover herself more with the blanket, before she gasped in pain. The pain woke her faster than anything else ever had. Kaoru's eyes fluttered open and her vision was blurry. She blinked a few times before her eyes became focused once more. Looking around, she noticed that she was on a futon inside a small house or hut. There were shelves near the door and along the walls all lined with beautiful but simple pottery. Kaoru blinked. How did she get here? Suddenly, the events from before crashed through her memories and her eyes watered. Her mother was surely dead, and her father...Kami-sama knows her father most likely thought her dead as well. Thankfully, that murderer thought she was dead too.

Kaoru reached her hands up to her face and scrubbed away the tears. Her father would want her to be strong for him and mother. Interested in her injuries, Kaoru gingerly lifted the light blanket that covered her. Looking down with minimal effort, since breathing seemed hard, most likely due to the damage her sternum obtained from the killer's kick, Kaoru saw that she was dressed in a clean plain grey yukata. Her chest was bandaged tightly all the way down to her hips, covering the gash she obtained to her right side. Kaoru let the blanket drop down to her chest again and reached her left hand up to her left cheek and winced. The cut was still there, but Kaoru could smell the herbs from the salve that had been applied to it. It was no longer bleeding, but it would most likely leave a very small thin scar. Kaoru did not attempt to sit up; if the pain in her chest was any indication, that would be a very bad idea. However, Kaoru remembered the strange man who had appeared the night before and saved her. Kaoru could not see him or hear anything, so she settled herself down to wait and began to count the ceiling planks in boredom.

After what seemed like hours, Kaoru finally heard the door to the hut open and close, and turned her head towards the insanely tall and muscular man standing imposingly in the doorway. He smirked at her as they made eye contact.

"So, I see that you are awake. Would you like anything to eat? I'm afraid that you can only have broth at the moment," the man said as he walked over to a pot above a fire-pit that Kaoru had overlooked. He grabbed a small clay bowl from the shelf behind him and ladled a spoonful into the bowl and brought it over to Kaoru. As Kaoru struggled to sit up, the man, using one hand to hold the bowl and the other to support her back, helped her to drink the hot and delicious broth. Kaoru sipped the broth steadily; never to fast nor too slow. Once the bowl was empty, the man helped Kaoru to lay back down, and he turned back to the pot. Kaoru turned to him and spoke.

"Thank you very much Mr...?," Kaoru cut off, not sure what to call him.

"The name is Hiko Seijuro; but you can call me Hiko-sama for now," Hiko stated, as he poured a bowl for himself. He blew on it and drank the hot broth in a few guzzles. He sighed in contentment before pulling out a large bottle of sake and a small sake cup. He sighs in happiness as he pours himself a cup and sips the alcohol dutifully. Kaoru quirks an eyebrow at this, but says nothing. After pouring himself another cup, he finally turned to her with serious eyes.

"So Kaoru-chan, can you tell me what happened to you? Why were you in the middle of the forest with wounds from a katana?," Hiko stated, sipping his sake. Kaoru's eyes became sad as the memories flashed through her mind.

"A man came to our home and he spoke of gaining revenge against my father by killing my mother and I and then killing my father. My mother held him off as long as she could so I could get away, but he was too skilled. I ran into the forest and he tracked me there. I was able to dodge a few of his attacks, but he was too fast for me and got me in the end. He only left when I pretended to be dead. Once he was gone, that is when you appeared. That is all I know Hiko-sama," Kaoru stated sadly. Hiko stared at the 6 year old girl, deep in thought.

"Do you know why this man might have wanted revenge on your family," Hiko asked thoughtfully, taking another sip of his sake. Kaoru nodded.

"He said something about my father killing his family. But I do not know for sure, since my father is serving with the Ishin Shishi at the moment; he isn't home. Mother and I were running the Dojo in his absence...," Kaoru stated sadly. Hiko nodded, and then he realized what she said.

"Your father ran a dojo? How were you and your mother running it in his absence?," Hiko asked in interest, forgetting his sake for the moment as he leaned forward intently. Kaoru's eyes widened as she turned her face to fully see Hiko.

"My father taught my mother his style; he created the Kamiya Kasshin Ryu Ougi. He also started teaching me a few years ago. I'm better than mother, but I was not strong enough to save her...," Kaoru muttered, as her eyes became shadowed and she grit her teeth. Hiko stared thoughtfully at the young girl on the bed before coming to a decision.

"Kaoru-chan...How would you like to be able to protect yourself and your loved ones? Do you wish to become stronger?," Hiko asked, as he stood to his full height and stared menacingly down at the young girl on the futon. Kaoru stared up at him in shock for a moment, before pure determination entered her eyes.

"Yes...," she bit out,"I never want anyone I love to be hurt or killed ever again!" She glared up at Hiko at the last part and never broke eye contact with him. Finally he closed his eyes and turned away.

"Then from now on...You shall call me Master," Hiko stated as his walked out the door, shutting it behind him loudly. Kaoru stared at the door in shock for a moment before turning her gaze back to the ceiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~With Hiko~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Perhaps the brat will turn out to be a better pupil than that idiot other apprentice of mine...,' Hiko thought as he walked to the nearby waterfall. As he stared up at it, another thought crossed his mind.

'She can't go back anyway; at least not now. Once that murderer learns that she survived, he will return to finish the job. I must prepare her to protect not only the lives of her loved ones, but also herself. Otherwise my efforts from the last night would be wasted,' he thought, as he sat down near the waterfall and poured himself some sake. The next few years were boound to be trying...

~~~~~~~~~~6 Weeks Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaoru took a deep breath in and let it out. Man did it feel good to be able to breath normally! The slash to her right side had healed well, as well as the one on her left cheek, but both left scars. Thankfully, the one on her face would be easy to conceal when she got older, but for now, she had no need for make-up. She wore a dark blue hakama and a lighter blue gi with a white under kimono. Today would be her first day of training. Now that she was fully healed (they visted the local doctor to be sure) Hiko-sama would begin her training. He wanted her to be in good condition before training, as he did not want her permanently damaged from her wounds. But thankfully, what had taken the longest to heal was her broken sternum. And now that they had the all clear, he would begin her training. Kaoru ran outside the hut and to the nearby waterfall, excitement and determination written on her face.

Hiko stood waiting near the waterfall, waiting for his new student to appear. He turned around as he heard Kaoru's approach and smirked. No he could do what he truely loved; tormenting a poor student.

Kaoru appeared before him and bowed low to him.

"I am ready to begin my training Master," Kaoru stated reverently. Hiko smiled and pointed to a pile of what looked like 4 metal blocks that had straps attached.

"The first thing you need Kaoru-chan, is strength. You are to wear these weights on your arms and legs always; even when we train. After a while, you will get used to them and when that happens, we will up the weights of them. Go ahead and strap them to your arms and legs. I won't have you too weak when you get older to learn the final technique!," Hiko stated, as Kaoru scrambled to the weights and went to put the first one on her right leg. Kaoru grunted as she dragged the weight over to her leg and strapped it on. As she dragged the other one over to her other leg, she grunted again.

"Master? How heavy are these again?," Kaoru asked, as she went to strap one on her arm, and found herself barely able to lift it. Hiko chuckled and pointed to the weights.

"They weigh, at this time, 20 pounds each. This will also help to increase your speed should you ever decide that you need to fight without them. Now, once you have them on, I want to see 5,000 swings! Do NOT stop until all of them are done! And I better hear you counting loudly! If you stop at all, you will begin from the beginning again! Now start!," Hiko stated firmly as he turned to sit on a nearby rock to watch. He had procured a real katana for the young girl, as with him, she had to learn how to fight with a real blade in her hand. She must get used to the weight of a real katana; those shinai and bokkens never taught as well as a real blade in his book. Kaoru struggled to stand, but she got up and once she took her stance, she drew her new katana and planted her feet, one slightly in front of the other one, and began swinging, counting loudly. He could tell that it was hard on her, but her determination was greater. She had what it took to become a real master.

...End Of Chapter 1: Strength Within...

 **Glossary:**

 **-Sama** : It is the formal version of "san". It's used in addressing persons higher in rank than oneself, and in commercial and business settings to address and refer to customers. It also forms parts of set phrases such as o-kyaku-sama (customer) or o-machidō-sama ("I am sorry to keep you waiting"). "Sama" also follows the addressee's name on postal packages and letters. "Sama" is also often used for people considered to have some high ability or be particularly attractive. At the peak of his popularity, Leonardo DiCaprio gained the nickname Leo-sama in Japan. "Sama" is also occasionally used about oneself, as in the arrogant male pronoun ore-sama, "my esteemed self", meaning "I". However, this is not common outside fiction or humour.

 **-Chan** : It is a form of "san" used to refer to children and female family members, close friends and lovers. The change from "san" to "chan" is typical of a kind of "baby talk" in Japanese where "sh" sounds are turned into "ch" sounds, such as chitchai for chiisai, "small". "Chan" is also used for adults who are considered to be kawaii (cute or loveable). For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger gained the nickname Shuwa-chan (シュワちゃん). "Chan" is sometimes applied to male children if the name does not fit with the kun suffix. For example, a boy called Tetsuya may be nicknamed Tetchan rather than Tekkun for reasons more to do with phonetics than anything else. Although it is usually said that honorifics are not applied to oneself, some women refer to themselves in the third person using chan. For example, a young woman named Maki might call herself Maki-chan rather than using a first person pronoun like watashi. "Chan" is also used for pets and animals, such as usagi-chan.

 **-Katana** : Historically, katana were one of the traditionally made Japanese swords that were used by the samurai of feudal Japan. Modern versions of the katana are sometimes made using non-traditional materials and methods. The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands.

FH: Well, I hope you guys like it so far! And yes, Hiko Seijuro is Kenshin's Master! This is where her past gets fun. :) Just know that things will be different from the moment she meets Kenshin. :) I will not have Kaoru be weak in this story, but she will still use her style, AND the Hiten-Mitsurugi Ryu Ougi. :) The next chapter will go more in depth into her training and her realtionship with Hiko, and maybe we will learn some things about Hiko's past! :D Please review and ja ne!


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